With the rapid expansion of technology seeming to be coming at us from all angles, small businesses have the opportunity to test the early adopter waters to see if they can harness these advances. If all turns out as desired, this could help mitigate business expenses, while increasing business productivity – switching what would be high operational costs into increased value for consumers. We have spoken countless times in the past about how our electronic payment processing solution gives small businesses the opportunity to collect payments like large corporations. This value can largely be attributed to the PaySimple Solution being a Software as a Service (SaaS). The value that SaaS can bring is clearly seen by the maturation and migration of companies of all shapes and sizes, according to Gartner.

What are the small business benefits of using SaaS?

  • Reduced or eliminated costs – There isn’t the need to invest in expensive hardware or software, which means low maintenance costs and no licensing fees. The rental of a web-based application means the allocation of expenses to operational, not capital focuses.
  • Easy integration and functionality – Most systems are designed to be simple enough for the average Internet user. This means, for implementation and day-to-day operations, expensive IT usually isn’t required.
  • Easy to use = Limited IT Expenses – Take away the need for a highly technical employee, and do it yourself – most SaaS models have a low monthly cost and can be managed and navigated by the average computer user. Not only is managing of resources made simpler, but costs for the SaaS are more predictable month-to-month.

Other benefits that may not stand out in this chart:

  • Added feature sets – Having an all-in-one solution means there are probably features included a small business would have the availability to (or have to pay extra for) without a quality SaaS.
  • Scalability – Small businesses don’t have to worry about system capacities, technical specifications, etc. – one size fits all. Letting the provider of SaaS use their knowledge and experience results in having time-tested answers to create maximum results.

In 2009, SaaS usage will continue to grow amongst small businesses because the cost-effectiveness of the value is hard to match, given limited resources. In times of change, the businesses that seek out alternatives, cut expenses, and show their agility will continue to survive – SaaS is becoming more and more an integrated part of this approach.